Wednesday, December 08, 2010

It's not often that a recipe on someone's Facebook page gets me so excited that I feel the need to jump out of my seat and make it on the spot. But Noelle Ferrada-Kelly's Persimmon Ginger Smoothie had just that effect on me yesterday morning. And since I just happened to have two very ripe Hachiya persimmons, a healthy stash of So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverages, and some fresh ginger hanging around, I had everything I needed to make myself one helluva tasty breakfast!

No sooner did I finish drinking that absolutely sublime smoothie, than So Delicious posted a link to recipe for Vegan Bailey's Irish Cream recipe! I'm not a big drinker, but seriously, one of the things I've really missed since going vegan is Bailey's Irish Cream. I didn't have any coffee on hand, so I'll have to make this another day. But it sounded so incredible, I just had to share the link with you.

The next thing I knew, So Delicious posted a link to a recipe for Vegan Corn Chowder on Jen's A Life of Sugar and Spice blog. It looked very rich and creamy, and it was such a cold, wet day, that by lunchtime, this sounded like the perfect pick-me-up. Basically, Jen substituted So Delicious Coconut Milk and Earth Balance for the dairy called for in the original recipe from allrecipes.com. She noted that it wasn't as creamy as she'd hoped it would be and that she'd try using So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer and a little less water the next time she made it. That sounded good to me, but I also wanted to reduce the fat, so I used half the Earth Balance called for in the original recipe. I also omitted the parsley, and in hindsight, I wish I would have added some nutmeg. Still, it was dreamy creamy and very warming!

In a large soup pot, saute onion in Earth Balance until tender. Add the water, corn, and potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 16-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the creamer, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

And the best part of my day arrived courtesy of Bob the mailman. I couldn't have been more excited to rip open the package he delivered today and find that my copy of Appetite for Reduction had arrived! Isa wrote this book especially for me. (She doesn't know that, but I do!) I can't wait to sink my teeth into it! Review to follow soon.

Did you know there are at least 20 different varieties of persimmons? I've only ever seen fuyus and hachiyas, but I'd love to try some of the others. Can't wait to try the smoothie! Persimmon and ginger sounds wonderful!

Hi Rio! It doesn't surprise me that there are so many different kinds of persimmons. There are more than 500 varieties of mangos, yet we only ever see three or four of them in most parts of the US. I sure would love to try all the different varieties of mangos and persimmons! I love them both!

Hi Anna! If you've never tasted a persimmon, it's hard to describe. If you're trying a Hachiya for the first time, you want to make sure that it's fully ripened (very soft all the way to the top), or else you'll take a bite out of something that is astringent and not very pleasant. When fully ripened, a Hachiya has a pudding/gel-like consistency. It's subtly sweet and fruity. Fuyus on the other hand, can be eaten while still hard and crunchy like an apple. You'll definitely want to use Hachiyas in this smoothie.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 Tbs of the Earth Balance on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.

While the onion is cooking, remove the kernels from the corn. Stand a corn cob vertically over a large, shallow pan (like a roasting pan). Using a sharp knife, use long, downward strokes of the knife to remove the kernels from the cob. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape the sides of the cob to remove any remaining pulp.

Add the corn to the onions and Earth Balance in the saucepan. Add 2/3 cup water and the remaining 1 Tbs of Earth Balance. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the corn is tender.

Add the sugar, nutmeg, and cream to the corn. Cook, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.Serves 6.

It looks so good Gail, but unfortunately I am highly allergic to corn products. At this time I am suffering with a corn reaction from a bowl of farina oatmeal I ate 4 weeks ago...the farina has has white corn in it and I was unaware of this. My body is covered in a rash and I am taking a lot of benedryl to get the itch and the rash under control at this time.

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that you're having such a dreadful allergic reaction, Millie. I've heard that taking vitamin C can help. I'm sending you lots of love and healing energy, and I hope you are feeling better very soon!